BsDs 



eollcctCon.s oC tf)0 l3orc!)tstcr Antiquarian an^ 



NUMBER ONE. 



MEMOIRS OF ROGER CLAP, 



1 630. 



BOSTON: 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DAVID CLAPP, JR. 

Over 184 Washington Street. 

1844. 



^^^w 



4ft 



At a meeting of the Resident Members of the Dorchester Antiquarian 
and Historical Society, held, by vote of adjournment, at the residence of 
William D. Swan, in Dorchester, September 15, 1843, the following pream- 
ble and votes were passed : — 

Whereas a minute and authentic account of the early history of Dorches- 
ter was written by Captain Roger Clap, of Dorchester, and first published 
in the year 1731, whereof but few copies are now extant ; it is therefore 

Voted, That a Committee of three be elected and empowered to cause an 
edition of the " Memoirs of Capt. Roger Clap " to be published, from a 
copy of said first edition ; with such prefatory and other notes as may tend 
to explain and enrich the same. 

Voted, That Ebenezer Clapp, jr., James M. Robbins, and Edmund J. 
Baker, constitute said Committee of Publication. 

Attest, 

EDWARD H OLDEN, Librarian. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by \ 

David Clapp, Jr. ! 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 



/^ 



7^ 



i7.77 



PREFACE, 

BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. 



The " Memoirs of Capt. Roger Clap " is justly con- 
sidered, by antiquarians, one of the most authentic docu- 
ments of ancient time. The manuscript from which the 
first edition was printed, was in the hand writing of Capt. 
Clap, and was presented to Rev. Thomas Prince, minister 
of the Old South Church hi Boston, by Mr. James Blake, 
jr., of Dorchester.* Five editions of the Memoirs have 
been printed previous to the following : the first four were 
printed in Boston in the years 1731, 1766, 1774, and 1807; 
the other in Pittsfield in 1824. In the edition of 1807, the 
publisher (William T. Clap) in a note says, that " at some 
future time will be published, by way of appendix, a com- 
plete genealogy of the descendants." The person who 
made this promise, and also the one on whom he depended 
for the necessary information (Elisha Clap, Esq. of Boston), 



* The ori'^inal manuscript, here referred to, was subsequently deposited 
in the Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society, but has since been 
irrecoverably'lost.— The first edition was probably printed under the super- 
vision of the Rev. Mr. Prince, above named, who, it will be perceived, was 
the writer of the remarks which introduced it " To the I\ew England 
Reader." 



iv PREFACE. 

have long been dead ; the former having died Sept. 13th, 
1818— the latter, Oct. 20th, 1830. In order to conform 
in some measure to their design, a short account of Capt. 
Clap's posterity, and of the other early settlers of his name, 
will here be given.* 

Capt. Roger Clap came from England with the first 
settlers of Dorchester in 1630, in the ship Mary and John, 
Capt. Squeb. The principal events of his life, and his 
character, will be found in the following pages; and much 
evidence has been found to show that the estimation in 
which he was said to have been held by his cotemporaries 
was not exaggerated. The names of his children were as 
follovvs — Samuel, William, Elizabeth, Experience, Waitstill, 
Preserved, Experience, Hopestill, Wait, Thanks, Desire, 
Thomas, Unite, and Supply, But seven of these lived to 
grow up. These were persons of more than ordinary 
ability and influence — Samuel, Preserved and Hopestill, in 
an especial manner ; they were Ruling Elders in the 
Church and Representatives to the General Court, and the 
two former (Samuel and Preserved) Captains in their 
respective towns — an office considered of great importance 
in those days, and to which none could attain but " pious 
as well as brave men." At the decease of Elder Hcpestill, 
Sept. 2, 1719, his pastor. Rev. John Danforth, published 
a Funeral Poem, wherein he sets forth the merits of this 
family, as well as of the subject of his poem, in a quaint 
and curious style. As there are probably but very few 
copies of it extant, some extracts will here be given. 

* Should the reader desire a more complete account of this ancient and 
numerous family, he is referred to the MS. Collections of the " Dorchester 
Antiquarian and Historical Society." 



PREFACE. 



" Inroll'd iHli^ Number of Christs Wit7iesses, 

To folloiv Him into a Wilderness ; 

A Blessed Number of This Precious Nayne, 

Elect hy Heaven into this Patmos Came. 

******* 

Such a Bright Family How rarely seen ! 

No Ishmael, Esau, Dinah found therein. 

******* 

This Family did God vouchscfe to Bless 
With Copious and Extensive Usefulness. 
The Father Held our Castle without Fear, 
And was Chief, Pious, Valiant, Bulwark there. 
Vertuous in Heart and Useful in their lives 
Were also his Collateral Relatives. 
For his Descendants, Viciv the Assembly's List : 
Long Years, Three Sons i?i Genercd Court Assist; 
And in the Ruling Eldership, No less : 
In lohom their Pastors Heart could acquiesce. 
Our Hopestill, with the Food of Angels Fed, 
His Name and Fathers Hope well Answered : 
Converting Mercy and Restraining Grace 
With their sweet Fruits within his Soul had Place. 
******** 

Such Lives as his, deserve all Ohservation, 

Lasting Rejnemhrance, Constant Lnitation ; 

Adorned icith Goodness, Siceetness, Self Denial, 

Meekness of Wisdom under every Trial, 

With Fear of GOD ; and Hate of Sinful Strife 

Gainst Strangers, Neighbours, Brethren, Children, Wife. 

None could Repine ; He ivas so Debonair, 
So True, so Just, so Kind, so Ccdm, so Fair ; 
So Vfduable, (tho' no Son of Thunder,) 
The Church Rejoyc'd ivhen such an Elder crowned her. 
******** 

His House, Feasts of Devotion did afford ; 
Resolv'd, his Family should serve the LORD. 
Thro' Pride his Tcdents, he icould not decline 
To Use, cdthd' he could not see them Shine : 
Trusting in GOD ; was not reduced to be 

1* 



Vi PREFACE. 

Unuscful thro' excess of Modestie. 

No Laws he Brake, alth& he voted many : 

Feivds he Composed, althd' he Raised not any : 

His Greatness Goodness icas ; his Victory 

His Faith ; his Honour, his Humility, 

With Wisdom, Trustiness, Sincerity. 

His Vertues let us duely Imitate, 

Our Loss of such a Peace-full Man is Great. 

3Iourn ive aright. And may kind Heav'n Afford 

Widow, and Children, Comfort in the LORD.'' 



Capt. Roger Clap '' was buried with much pomp ; the 
military officers, probably the Ancient and Honorable Ar- 
tillery Company, preceding the corpse ; the Governor and 
General Court following the relations as mourners, and the 
guns firing at the Castle." Most of his descendants reside 
in Northampton (where his son Preserved removed) and 
that vicinity, in the western part of Massachusetts. Tho- 
mas, a son of Preserved, removed from Northampton to 
Hartford, Conn., and was the progenitor of most of the 
name in that State. There are but few living who de- 
scended from the other sons of Roger. Several of his pos- 
terity have been distinguished for their learning and ability, 
with whom may also be ranked the Rev. Theodore, now a 
clergyman of ^q\w Orleans, who was born in East Hamp- 
ton, Mass. 

Deacon Edward Clap was an elder brother of Capt. 
Roger. He came to this country in 1633, and spent the 
remainder of his days in Dorchester. He served the town 
in many of its responsible offices, and was a Deacon of the 
Church 26 years. He died January 8th, 1664. 

Farmer, in his Genealogical Register, says that Deacon 



PREFACE. VU 

Edward " died without issue " ; but he was mistaken. He 

had nine children. By his first wife, Prudence, he had 

Elizabeth, born 1634, who married Elder James Blake; 
Prudence, born 1637, who married Simon Peck, of Hing- 
ham ; Ezra, born 1640 ; Nehemiah, born 1646 ; and Su- 
sanna, born 1648. By his second wife, Susanna, he had — 
Esther, born 1656 ; Abigail, born 1659 ; Joshua, born 
1661 ; and Jonathan, born 1664, about two and a half 
months after the decease of his father. The last named 
three died young. Six of these, two sons (Ezra and Nehe- 
miah) and four daughters, were alive at the time of their 
father's death. Nehemiah died in Dorchester April 2, 
1684, leaving two children, Edward and Submit. Edward 
married and lived most of his days in his native town ; he 
joined an expedition against the Indians in 1722, and after- 
wards removed to Sudbury, where he died Dec. 3, 1733, 
aged 53 years, leaving one daughter, Mary. Submit re- 
moved to Sudbury, and married Joseph Britnall, of that 
town ; she survived him, and July 23, 1741, married again 
to Richard Taylor, of that place. 

Ezra, son of Deacon Edward, removed to Milton, where 
he spent the remainder of his days, and died Jan. 23d, 
1717. His father, in his will, left him all of his land lying 
on the south side of Neponset river ; likewise a part of his 
estate in Dorchester. The estate in Milton where he re- 
moved, was situated between the Meeting-house and Dor- 
chester Upper Mills. Ezra built a mill on the Neponset 
about the year 1712. He had fourteen children — seven by 
his first, and seven by his second wife. His eldest son, 
Edward, born in 1672, joined the expedition to Canada in 
1690, and never returned. His son Nehemiah was a Dea- 
con of the Church in Milton, and was much respected by 



Viil PREFACE. 

the citizens of that town. The descendants of Ezra, in the 
male line, have not been numerous, and it is believed that 
but three novi^ survive : one living in Chester, Vt. ; one in 
Orange, Mass., or that vicinity ; and one in Boston. The 
age and circumstances of these go far to prove that they 
will be the last. 

Thomas, son of Richard Clap, was born in Dorchester, 
England, in 1597. He came over to New England in 
1633, and remained awhile in Dorchester, then removed to 
Weymouth, and from thence to Scituate. He removed to 
the last named place in 1640, where he spent the remainder 
of his days, and died April 20th, 1684, aged 87 years. He 
was a man of energy and ability, and in church, town and 
colony affairs held important offices. He was a Deacon 37 
years, a Deputy to the Court, and was engaged in the warm 
controversies which agitated the Churches in that town 
for upwards of thirty years, commencing under the minis- 
try of Rev. Charles Chauncy, afterwards President of Har- 
vard College. His children were Thomas, Eleazer, Sam- 
uel, Increase, Elizabeth, Prudence, John and Abigail. 
Thomas was born March 15th, 1639, while his parents 
resided in Weymouth ; he afterwards removed to the south 
part of Dedham, subsequently incorporated as Walpole, and 
was the ancestor of the Claps of that place. Eleazer re- 
moved to Barnstable, and was killed in that brave and 
sanguinary battle with the Narragansett Indians, fought at 
Rehoboth in 1676. Samuel was a very important man — 
for many years a Representative to the General Court. He 
settled in Scituate, and was the ancestor of nearly all of 
the name in that town. John, son of Thomas, born Oct. 
18th, 1658, was a youth of extraordinary piety and pro- 



PREFACE. IX 

mise ; he died when a little upwards of 13 years of age. A 
memoir of his life was written and published by Rev. Mr. 
Witherell, of Scituate ; there is also some account of him 
in Cotton blather's Magnalia. 

Several of the descendants of Thomas were distinguished 
for their learning, piety and worth. His great grandson, 
Thomas, born June 26th, 1703, was for many years Presi- 
dent of Yale College, and was one of the most celebrated 
men of his day. President Styles, his successor, speaks of 
him as standing in the first ranks of the learned men of the 
age. " He studied," says he, " the higher branches of 
Mathematics, and was one of the first philosophers America 
has produced, and equalled by no man except the most 
learned Professor Winthrop." 

The greater part cf the descendants of Thomas live in 
Scituate. 

Nicholas, son of Richard Clap, of England, and brother 
of Thomas, before named, undoubtedly came with him to 
Dorchester in 1633, where he settled and remained the rest 
of his days; he died very suddenly, Nov. •24th, 1679. He 
was a highly respectable man; he held several important 
offices in the town, and was a Deacon of the Church. His 
first wife was a sister of Capt. Roger Clap. His children 
by his first wife were — Sarah, born 1637, who married in 
Connecticut; Nathaniel, 1640, who settled in Dorchester, 
and was '' a choice man ; " Ebenezer, 1643, who settled in 
Milton ; and Hannah, 1616, v/ho married Ebenezer Strong, 
of Northampton. By his second wife, he had — Noah, born 
1667, who settled in Sudbury ; and Sarah. All of the pos- 
terity, in the male line, are from Nathaniel. Ebenezer was 
not married until he was about 60 vears of age ; lie left no 



X PREFACE. 

children ; and Noah left no sons who arrived at manhood. 
Among the most eminent of the descendants of Nicho- 
las, was his grandson, Rev. Nathaniel, born in Dorches- 
ter Jan. 20th, 1668, who was for many years a minister 
of the gospel at Newport, R. I., and was celebrated for 
his piety, learning and benevolence, abounding in charity 
and good works. Most of the descendants of Nicholas 
reside in Dorchester; there are a few in the county of 
Middlesex, a few in Vermont, and a few scattering. 

John, son of Richard Clap, of England, and brother to 
Thomas and Nicholas, came to New England subsequently 
to his brothers, and settled in Dorchester, where he died 
July 24th, 1655. He left a widow, but no children. In 
his will, he left property to the town of Dorchester, which 
has since proved very valuable. 

It will be seen by the foregoing that there were five of 
the name who were among the early settlers : — Edward and 
Roger, who were brothers ; and Thomas, Nicholas and 
John, who were also brothers, and cousins to the two 
former.* All of them came to Dorchester, and all of their 
children were born there, excepting those of Thomas ; yet 
of those now living in that town (and there are about 35 
voters), all the voters but one are descendants of Nicholas. 
The posterity of Thomas, of Scituate, are probably the 



* There Avas also another person of the name, who came to Philadelphia 
durina: the early settlement of the country; he was an emigrant from Hesse 
Cassel, a province in Germany. Two of his sons. LeAvis and George, set- 
lied in North Carolina, where the name has become one of the most nume- 
rous in the State. The descendants of this man are also scattered through 
the States of Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Illinois. The older 
generations of these spelled their name Klapp, but the K has now given 
place to C. 



PREFACE. XI 

most numerous, and those of Roger the next. Taken as 
a whole, they have lived quiet and peaceable lives ; but 
there have been among them those fond of the varieties of 
life, rovers and sons of Mars ; and all parts of the earth 
have contained some of their number. 

We have thus given a brief outline of the lives of Capt. 
Roger Clap and of his relatives of the name. They, with 
their cotemporaries, have long since joined the great con- 
gregation of the departed, and sleep with their fathers. 
Many were their virtues, which shone out from beneath 
every pressure of adversity. They bore their hardships 
with the firQiness of martyrs. They left the sepulchres of 
their fathers, and all they held dear, for this land of their 
adoption, being too full of the true spirit of Man to bow 
the knee to Hierarchs or Kings. " They built altars to 
the living God, where before ascended but the smoke of 
idolatrous sacrifices;" and subdued a wilderness which now 
blossoms like the rose. This generation is reaping the 
fruit of their toil and self-denial, and their counsels of wis- 
dom are a rich inheritance. May the mantle of charity 
cover their faults, and their memory be as enduring as 
their virtues. 

Note. — Mr. James Blake, jr., who wrote the Appendix 
to the " Memoirs of Capt. Roger Clap," lived in Dorches- 
ter. He was born in that town in 1688, and was a very 
correct and valuable man. For many years he was the 
Clerk of the town ; also the Clerk for the Proprietors of 
the Common and Undivided Lands. He was one of the 
most noted surveyors of his day ; and his plans, which are 
very numerous, are remarkable for their accuracy and 
beauty. He was also the author of Blake's Annals, now 
existing in manuscript, which give a brief history ot the 
town of Dorchester, from its settlement to the year of his 
death, 1750. 



The following pages have been copied from the edition 
of 1731, which was the first printed. It has been thought 
advisable, not only to give a literal copy of that edition, 
with orthography and punctuation unaltered, but also to 
imitate, as far as possible, the style of printing. The 
fac simile cannot, of course, be perfect, as the ancient 
reader will miss the long s and many of the double letters, 
which modern improvements have been the means of ban- 
ishing from even our oldest printing offices. It is believed, 
however, that the imitation, as far as has been practicable, 
will be approved of, at least by the literary antiquarian, 
who would hardly recognize the quaint expressions and 
simple details of the olden time in the ordinary guise 
furnished by the modern press. 



MEMOIRS 

F 

Capt. Roger Clap. 

Relating some of GOD's Remarkable 
Providences to Him, in bringing him 
into New-England ; and some of the 
Straits and Afflictions, the Good People 
met with here in their Beo^innin2:s. 

AND 

Instructing^ Counselling, Directing and 
Commanding his Children and Childrens 
Children, and Houshold, to serve the 
LORD in their Generations to the 
latest Posterity. 

Heb. xi. 4. He being dead, yet speaketh. 



BOSTON in Neiv-England : 
Printed by B. Green, 1 7 3 1 



«?^'S>'=:§^•s■•■!S'':$^:»^2^'^^■s>■si■<!&^S'>sl'^s?■?^w^'S^<??<g^ 



TO THE 



JVew - England Reader. 



^^^^^ p Q ]S[ my searching for Materials for our 
^ U ^ Chronology, the following Piece ivith others 
^ <^ coming to my hand ; I cannot but think it wor- 
thy of the puhlicJc View. Not that I suppose it 
will please the Eye of the politer World: But because it 
gives a strong and lively Image of the extraordinary 
pious Spirit and Design of those English People, who 
first came over and dwelt in this Indian Wilderness ; and 
in every serious mind cannot but raise a Veneration for 
them, and a Pleasure to review their bright Examples. 

The Author was One among them ; an Eye-witness of 
the things he writes of; and by the puhlicJc and continued 
Esteem his Country paid him in his Day, his Testimony 
comes with Power upon us ; and the Style so plain and 
natural, that in the Reading, it seems as if we came over 
with Him, and ivere living in those pious Times. 

He shows the mighty Spirit of Love to GOD and 
Zeal for his instituted Worship that mov'd &(- ivrought 
in our Predecessors : How heavenly-minded, how humble, 
and how contented under all the Straits and Difficulties 
of a new Plantation, at so great a Distance from any 
humane Succour. 

He was desirous that GOD should have the Glory of 
his Providence, in bringing Him with so many pious 
People into this hideous "Land, in preserving ^ supplying 
them, increasing, prospering, and working wonderful Sal- 
vations for them. And he was greatly concerned that 
Posterity, and especially his own, should both know these 

things 



xvi. To the New-En<y;land Reader 



to 



things and walk in the good ways of their Forefathers : 
To this He therefore most pathetically charges and com- 
mands them ; ivarning them of Evil, and relating his own 
Experience for their Direction and Encouragement, 

The Account subjoined is drawn by another hand : and 
tho't adviseable to he Published also ; that his Offspring 
may knoiv the religious Ancestor from ivhom they come, 
and their awful Obligations to fear and serve the GOD 
of their Fathers. 

And on this Occasion, I canH but recommend to our 
grave and pious Heads of Housholds, the useful Practice 
o/Leavingj in Writing their solemn Charges to their Pos- 
terity : That tvhen the Parents speaJc and live no more on 
Earth, their Children after them may frequently review 
both their Examples and Instructions, and preserve them 
better in their minds. I can't but thinJc that this, ivith the 
Divine Blessing, would be an happy method of preventing 
the Declension of many Families, and of keeping alive the 
things that remain among us, and are ready to Die. And 
methinhs, as every pious Father ivould in a lawful ivay 
desire to speak to his Children after his Decease ; He can 
do no less for the Preservation of the Life of Religion, 
and for the Souls of his surviving Offspring. His oral 
Counsels are too like the Wind, ivhich quickly passes : But 
impressed in ivritten Monuments, remain to excite them 
every Day ; and if neglected, to witness against them. 



Boston, Aug. 16. T. Prince. 

17 3 1. 



<S5;«g?-»g^a^'a.a.S-».Sg-<';'j&'3><Sg>g i.®g>g.g.-3%.3.%.S%.%^.S^ 



Capt. Clap'^s 

MEMOIRS, ^'c. 




Thought good, my dear Children, 

to leave with you some Account of 

God's remarkable Providences to 

me, in bringing me into this Land, 

and placing me here among his dear 

Serv^ants, and in his House, who am 

most unworthy of the least of his 

Mercies. The Scripture requireth 

us to tell God's wondrous Works to our Children, that 

they may tell them to their Children, that God may have 

Gloiy throughout all Ages. Amen. 

I was Born in England in Sallcom in Devonshire, in 
the Year of our Lord 1609. My Father was a Man 
fearing God, and in good esteem among God's faithful 
Servants : His outward Estate was not great ; I think not 
above Eighty Pounds per Annum. We were Five 
Brethren (of which I was the youngest) and Two Sisters, 
God was graciously pleased to breathe by his holy Spiiit 
2* (I 



18 Captain Clap's Memoirs. 

(I hope) in all our Hearts, if in mine ; which I am not 
altogether without hopes of. Four of us Brethren lived 
at home : I did desire my dear Father (my dear Mother 
being dead) that I might live abroad, which he consented 
to : So I first went for tryal to live with a worthy Gen de- 
man, Mr. William Southcot, who lived about Thi'ee Miles 
from the City of Exon. He was careful to keep a Godly 
Family. There being but a very mean Preacher in that 
Place, we went every Lord's-Day into the City, where 
were many famous preachers of the Word of God. I then 
took such a liking unto the Revd. Mr. John JVarham, that 
I did desire to live near him : So I removed (with my 
Father's Consent) into the City, and lived with one Mr. 
Mossiour, as Famous a Family for Religion as ever I 
knew : He kept Seven or Eight Men, and div^ers Maid- 
Servants ; and he had a Conference upon a Question pro- 
pounded once a Week in his own Family : With him I 
Covenanted. I never so much as heard of New-England 
until I heard of many godly Persons that were going 
there, and that Mr. Warham was to go also. My Master 
asked me whether I would go ? I told him were I not 
engaged unto him I would willingly go : He answered 
me, that should be no hindrance, I might go for him or 
for myself which T would. I then wrote to my Father 
who lived about Twelve Miles off, to Intreat his leave to 
go to New-England ; who was so much displeased at first, 
that he wrote me no Answer, but told my Brethren that I 
should not go. Having no Answer, I went and made my 
Request to him, and God so Inclined his Heart, that he 
never said me Nay : For now God sent the Reverend Mr. 

Maverick, 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs. 19 

Maverick, who lived Forty Miles off, a Man I never saw 
before : He having heard of me, came to my Father's 
House, and my Father agreed that I should be with him 
and come under his Care, which I did accordingly. 

]Mind by what I have already expressed. That it was 
God that did draw me by his Providence out of my Fath- 
er's Family, and weaned me from it by degrees ; It was 
God put it into my Heart to incline to Live abroad ; and 
it was God that made my Father willing. God by his 
Providence brought me near Mr. Warham, and inclined 
my Heart to his Ministry : God by his Providence moved 
the Heart of my Master Mossiour to ask me whether I 
would go to Neic-England : It was God by his Provi- 
dence that made me willing to leave my dear Father, and 
dear Brethren and Sisters, my dear Friends and Country : 
It was God that made my Father willing on the first Mo- 
tion I made in Person, to let me go : It was God that sent 
Mr. Maverick that pious Minister to me, who was unknown 
to him, to seek me out that I might come hither. So God 
brought me out of Plymouth the 20th of March in the 
Year, 16:29,30, and landed me in Health at Nantasket on 
the 30th of May, 1630, I being then about the Age of 
Twenty one Years. Blessed he God that brought me Here ! 

Now coming into this Country, I found it a vacant 
Wilderness, in respect of English. There were indeed 
some English at Plymouth and Salem, and some few at 
Charlestown, who were very destitute when we came 
ashore ; and Planting Time being past, shortly after Pro- 
\dsion was not to be had for Money. I wrote to my 

Friends, 



20 Capt, Clap's Memoirs. 

Friends, namely to my dear Father to send me some Pro- 
vision, which accordingly he did ; and also gave order to 
one of his Neighbours to supply me with what I needed 
(he being a Seaman) who coming hither supphed me with 
divers things. But before this Supply came, yea and after 
too (that being spent) and the then unsubdued Wilderness 
yielding httle Food, many a Time if I could have filled 
my Bally, tho' with mean Victuals, it would have been 
sweet unto me. Fish was a good help unto me, and 
others. Bread was so very scarce, that sometimes I tho't 
the very Crusts of my Father's Table would have been 
very sweet unto me. And when I could have Meal ^ 
Water and Salt boiled together, it was so good, who could 
wish better ? 

I took notice of it, as a great Favour of God unto me, 
not only to preserve my Life, but to give me Contented- 
ness in all these Straits ; insomuch that I do not remember 
that ever I did wish in my Heart that I had not come into 
this Country, or wish myself back again to my Father's 
House : Yea I was so far from that, that I wished and 
advised some of my dear Brethren to come hither also ; 
which accordingly one of my Brothers and those tiuo that 
married my two Sisters, sold their Means and came hither. 
The Lord Jesus Christ was so plainly held out in the 
Preaching of the Gospel unto poor lost Sinners, and the 
absolute Necessity of the ISeiv Birth, and God's holy 
Spirit in those Days was pleased to accompany the 
Word with such Efficacy upon the Hearts of many ; that 
our Hearts were taken off from Old-England and set upon 

Heaven, 



Capt. Clap's Memoirs. 21 

Heaven, The Discourse, not only of the Aged, but of the 
Youth also, was not, Hoiu shall ive go to England ? (the' 
some few did not only so Discourse, but also went back 
again) but How shall we go to Heaven ? Have I true Grace 
wrought in my Heart ? Have I Christ or no ? O how 
did Men and Women, young and old, Pray for Grace, beg 
for Christ in those Days ; and it was not in vain : Many 
were Converted, and others established in Believing : 
many joined unto the several Churches where they lived, 
confessing their Faith publickly, and shewing before all 
the Assembly their Experiences of the Workings of 
God's Spirit in their Hearts to bring them to Christ: 
which many Hearers found very much Good by, to 
help them to try their own Hearts, and to consider 
how it was with them ; w hether any work of God's Spirit 
were wrought in their own Hearts or no ? Oh the many 
Tears that have been shed in Dorchester Meeting-House 
at such times, both by those that have declared God's 
Work on their Souls, and also by those that heard them. 
In those days, God, even our own God, did Bless New- 
England. I find by what I heard from those that have 
publicly declared what God had done for their Souls in 
bringing them unto Christ by Faith, that God doth w^ork 
divers ways upon the Hearts of Men, even as it pleases 
Him ; upon some more sensibly, and upon others more 
insensibly ; verifying the Text in the 3d Chapter of John, 
8th Verse, The Wind hloweth where it listeth, and thou 
hearest the sound thereof, hut canst not tell ichence it Com- 
eth, and whither it goeth : So is every one that is born of 
the Spirit. Tho' we may hear the Sound of it, that is, 

be 



22 Capt. Clap's Memoirs, 

be sensible that the Spirit works, or has been at work ; yet 
not know whence it comes, ^c. If ever there were the 
Work of Grace wrought savingly in my Heart ; the Time 
when, the Place where, the manner how, was never so 
apparent unto me, as some in their Relations say it hath 
been unto them. 

I shall hint a httle unto you what I have found. I re- 
member God did long ago convince me of my Sin, (I can- 
not tell you how) and also of a corrupt Nature, whereby 
I. feel my self prone to Sin. I had in my younger Days 
a love to Sin ; and had it not been for the Fear of Hell, 
and of my Parents and Friends, I doubtless should have 
been as Vile as the worst of Men. The Care and Coun- 
sel of my dear Friends, by the Restraining Grace of God, 
kept me from committing of those horrid Abominations that 
some fell into ; yet am I not thereby Justified. I had such 
a love to Play with Children and Youth, that I did too 
often Play with them upon the Lord's-Day, if I could hide 
it from my dear Relatives. But God was pleased to make 
my Conscience to be out of quiet, which made me Pray 
to God many Times in Secret ; yet I had a Love to the 
Pleasure of Sin, and did love to see others Play though it 
were on the Lord's Day. But on a Time on the Lord's- 
Day, when I was standing by, and seeing some Youths 
Pla}^, they gave me those Points which they played for, 
to hold for them until their Game was out ; and my Con- 
science not being quiet, God brought that saying of Saul, 
afterwards Paul, to my Mind, who did acknowledge that 
he was guilty of the Death of Stephen ; for he stood hy, 
and kept the Garments of them that slew him : I then put 

down 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 23 

down that which I had in keeping for them, and went 
away ; and God did help me afterwards to dehght more in 
Them that fear'd him. I did often go to hear the Word 
of God preached, with my Brethren and others abroad, 
when we had no Preaching at home ; and God inclined 
my Heart to love those that fear'd him. That Text in 
1 Joh. iii. 14. I have often heard alledged, We know that 
we have passed from Death to Life, because we love the 
Brethren ; tho' I heard also it must be because the Image 
of God was on them. Upon Examination of my self, 
whether I did love the Saints upon right grounds ? I did 
and do still hope that my Love to the Saints was and is 
rightly grounded ; and that for these Reasons ; 

1. In former Times I do remember there was a Young 
Man came into the Congregation where I was, a Stranger 
to m.e, and a very hard favoured Man ; I had no love to 
his Person ; but not long after I heard, that he feared God ; 
and upon the very Report thereof my Heart was knit unto 
him, altho' I never spake with him that I know of. 

2. Because I find my Heart doth contemn vile Persons. 
I do not desire their Society : But when I am by God's 
Providence called to be with such, so that I cannot avoid 
it, I say in my Heart, Wo is me that I am constrained to 
he with such Persons. 

3. To this very Day if I perceive or do but hear of a 
Man or Woman that feareth God, let him be Rich or Poor, 
English or Indian, Portugal or Negro, my very Heart clos- 
eth with him. 

4. 



24 Capt, Clap's Memoirs. 

4. Because my Heart doth most close with, and most 
highly prize those that are most excellent, most holy, most 
worthy Instruments of God^s Glory and Us People's Good. 
My earnest Desire and Prayer is, that God will help me 
to love his Graces more and more in all men wherever the 
Grace of God appears to be. 

After God had brought me into this Country, He was 
pleased to give me Room in the Hearts of his Servants ; 
so that I was admitted into the Church Fellowship at our 
first beo-inning in Dorchester, in the Year 1630. Jesus 
Christ being clearly Preached, and the way of coming to 
him by Believing was plainly shown forth ; yet because 
many in their Relations spake of their great Terrors and 
deep Sense of their lost Condition, and I could not so find 
as others did, the Time when God wrought the Work of 
Conversion in my Soul, nor in many respects the Manner 
thereof; it caused in me much Sadness of Heart, and 
Doubtings how it was with me, Whether the Work of 
Grace were ever savingly wrought in my Heart or no ? 
How to cast off all Hope, to say, and verily to Believe 
that there was no Work of Grace wrought by God in my 
Heart, this I could not do : yet how to be in some measure 
assured thereof was my great Concern : But hearing Mr. 
Cotton Preach out of the Revelations, that Christ's Church 
did come out of great Tribulation, he had such a Passage 
as this in his Sermon, " That a small running Stream ivas 
" much better than a great Land Flood of Water, tho^ 
" the Flood malceth the greatest Noise : So, saith he, A 
" little constant Stream of godly Sorrow, is better than 

great 



Capt. Clap's Memoirs. 26 

great Horrour " : God spake to me by it, it was no little 
Support unto me. And God helped me to hang on that 
Text (and thro' his Grace I will continue so to do) viz. 
This is a faithful saying &f worthy of all Acceptation^ 
that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners. 
God has made me sensible that I am a Sinner, and Jesus 
Christ came to save Sinners, and why not me, tho' a very 
sinful man : Thro' the Grace of God I desire to rest alone 
upon Jesus Christ for Salvation. 

In my saddest Troubles for want of a clear Evidence 
of my good Estate, I did on a Time Examine my self 
upon my Bed in the Night, concerning my spiritual Es- 
tate ; putting my self upon this Trial, How my Heart 
stood affected to Sin 1 The Question to my Soul was 
this (pitching upon that Sin which I did confess my natu- 
ral Corruption most inclined me to) The Question, I say, 
which by God's help, I put to my very Heart and Soul 
was. Whether if God icould assure me that I should be 
saved, although I should commit such a Sin, my Heart 
were wiUing to commit it or no 1 And my very Heart 
and Soul answered, No, I ivoidd not Sin against God, 
though I should not be damned for sinning, because God 
has forbidden it. At that Time my Conscience did wit- 
ness to me that my State was good : And God's holy 
Spirit did witness (I do believe) together with my Spirit, 
that I was a Child of God ; and did fill my Heart and 
Soul \\ith such a full Assurance that Christ was mine, that 
it did so transport me as to make me ciy out upon my Bed 
with a loud Voice, He is come. He is come. And God 
did melt my Heart at that time so that I could, and did 
3 mourn 



26 Capt. Clap's Memoirs, 

mourn and shed more Tears for Sin, than at other Times : 
Yea the Love of God, that he should Elect me, and save 
such a worthless one as I was, did break my very Heart. 
I say again, When I had most Assurance of God's Love, 
I could mourn most for my Sins. 

Dear Children, Slight not serious Examination : It is 
good to commune ivith your own Hearts upon your Bed. 
That Glimpse of God's eternal Love which I had at that 
Time, was better to me than ail the World ; yea far better 
than Life itself. But Oh wretched Man that I am, I have 
a Body of Death that presseth me down, and hinders me 
from living always in such a heavenly Frame : But I do 
desire to devote my self unto God to be His ; resting and 
relying upon Him alone for Grace and Glory. If God 
shall be pleased to save me, such a poor Worm, from my 
Sins, and at last bring me to himself in Heaven at my 
Death, let Him have everlasting Honour, Glory and Praise, 
World without end. Amen. 

The Scripture saith. He that BeJieveth shall be saved : 
I hope God has not only wrought Historical Faith in me, 
but also true Justifying Faith ; Faith to receive Jesus 
Christ to be my King, Priest and Prophet : If my Heart 
do not deceive me, I do prize him above Kingdoms : I de- 
sire him more than Life, and to be made more and more 
lilve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of 
my Life. Oh the Riches of his free Grace to put any 
holy Desires in my Heart ! I leave this with you, that 
you may plead God's free Promises, which are, That He 

will 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 27 

icill circumcise our Hearts and the Hearts of our Seed. God's 
Covenant is unto the Faithful and to their Seed. Pray 
earnestly that God will be pleased to circumcise your 
Hearts, and cause you to walk in his Ways ; so shall you 
be serviceable to him here, and be everlastingly Happy in 
the World to come. I also leave these my Experiences 
with you, not knowing but it may be some Support unto 
you, altho' you cannot find that methodical Work in your 
Conversion, as some say they find in theirs. Sure God 
works diversly on the Hearts of his Children in their Con- 
version. If God works any manner of way for the bring- 
ing of you to Christ, to rest on Him alone, and fill your 
Hearts with Love to God and his People, and help you to 
be low in your own Esteem, and to hate all Sin in your 
selves and all Men ; Bless God for such an unspeakable 
Gift, though you know not the Time, nor the manner of 
God's working in you. 

I now return to declare unto you some of the ivonderful 
JVorJiS of God in bringing so many of his faithful Servants 
hither into this Wilderness, and Preserving us and ours 
unto this Day ; notwithstanding our great Unworthiness, 
and notwithstanding the many Assaults and Stratagems of 
Satan and his Instruments against God's People here. I 
say ivonderous JVorks ! For was it not a wonderous 
Work of God, to put it into the Hearts of so many JVor' 
tliys to agree together, when Times were so bad in Eng- 
land, that they could not Worship God after the due 
manner prescribed in his most holy Word, but they must 
be Imprisoned, Excommunicated, &ic. I say that so many 

should 



28 Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 

should agree to make humble Suit unto our Sovereign 
Lord the KING, to grant them and such as they should 
approv^e of, a Patent of a Tract of Land in this remote 
Wilderness, a Place not Lihabited but by very barbarous 
Nations ! And was it not a wonderous good Hand of 
God to incline the Heart of our KING so freely to grant 
it, with all the Priviledges which the Patent expresseth 1 
And what a wonderous Work of God was it, to stir up 
such Worthys to undertake such a difficult Work, as to 
remove themselves and their Wives and Children, from 
their Native Country, and to leave their gallant Scituations 
there, to come into this Wilderness, to set up the pure 
Worship of God here ! Men fit for Government in the 
Magistracy, and in Families ; and sound, godly, learned 
Men for the Ministry, and others that were very precious 
Men and Women, who came in the Year 1630. Them 
that came then were Magistrates ; Men of Renown 
were, Mr. WintJirop, Governour, Mr. Dudley, Deputy 
Governour, Sir Richard Saltonstall, Mr. Johnson, Mr. 
Rossiter, Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Nowcl, and Mr. Bradstreet : 
Mr. Endicott came before, and others came then, besides 
those named. And there came famous Ministers in that 
Year, and afterwards : as to name some ; Mr. Wilson, Mr. 
Warham, Mr. Maveric'k, and Mr. Phillips. In our low 
Estate God did Chear our Hearts in sending good and 
holy Men and Women, and also famous Preachers of the 
Word of God ; as Mr. Eliot, iSh. Weld, Mr. Cotton, Mr. 
Hooker, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Stoughton, Mr. Nathanael 
Rogers, and Mr. EzeJciel Rogers, Mr. Shepard, Mr. Ma- 
ther, Mr. Peters, ]\Ir. Davenport, Mr. Whiting, Mr. Coh- 

let, 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 29 

let, Mr. Hubbard, I\Ir, Brown, Mr. Flint, Mr. Thomson, 
Mr. Newman, Mr. Prudden, Mr. Norris, Mr. JlittV, Mr. 
Street, and many others. Thus did God work wonder- 
fully for his poor People here. 

Then in those Days did God manifest his Presence 
among us, in converting many Souls, in gathering his dear 
Ones into Church-Fellowship each ^^ ith other, by solemn 
Covenants ; wherein they gave up themselves and their 
Seed to the Lord, choosing Him to be their God, who hath 
freely promised so to be, and to our Seed for ever, if we 
k, they do not forsake him. But if any of you (dear 
Children) forsake the Lord, tho' you were the Sons of 
David, he would cast you off for ever. Cleave to God, and 
never, never depart from him ; and He will never fail you 
nor forsake you. In those Days great was the Tranquil- 
lity k, Peace of this poor Country : And there was great 
Love one to another ; very ready to help each other ; not 
seeking their own, but every one another^ s Wealth. Then 
Sin did not so openly abound among us : Drunkenness, 
Adultery, Fornication, Oppression, and abominable Pride 
which now abounds among us, and threatens our Ruin, 
was then loathsome almost in every ones Eyes. Then 
God did bless us in the Fmits of the Earth, but especially 
in spiritual Things : many Souls were converted to God, 
and very often many added to the Churches. 

But this glorious Work of God towards his People here 

was soon maligned by Satan ; and he cast into the minds 

of some corrupt Persons very erroneous Opinions, which 

3* did 



30 Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 

did breed preat Disturbance in the Churches. And he 
puffed up his Instmments ^^ ith horrible Pride, insomuch 
that they would oppose the Tmth of God deUvered Pub- 
lickly : and some times, yea most times they would do it 
by A\ ay of Query, as if they desired to be infomied : but 
they did indeed accuse our godly Ministers of not preach- 
ing Gospel, saying they were Legal Preachers, but them- 
selves were for free Grace, and I^Iinisters did Preach a 
Covenant of WorJcs ; which was a false Aspersion on them. 
The Truth was, they would willingly have lived in Sin, 
and encouraged others so to do, ^c. And yet think to be 
saved by Christ, because his Grace is free ; forgetting (it 
seems) that those \\ hom Christ doth save from Hdl, he 
also freely of his Grace doth save from Sin ; for he came 
to save his People from their Sins, to give Repentance and 
Remission of Sins. 



In our beginning many were in great Straits for want of 
Provision for themselves and their little Ones. Oh the 
Hunger that many suffered, and saw no hope in an Eye I 
of Reason to be supplyed, only by Clams, and Muscles, \ 
and Fish. We did quickly build Boats, and some went a j 
Fishing. But Bread was with many a very scarce thing ; I 
and Flesh of all kinds as scarce. And in those Days, in 
our Straits, though I cannot say God sent a Raven to feed i 
us, as He did the Prophet Elijah ; yet this I can say to the | 
Praise of God's Glory, that He sent not only poor raven- ; 
om Indians, which came with their Baskets of Corn on 
their Backs, to Trade with us, which was a good Supply ; 
unto many ; but also sent Ships from Holland and from ' 

Ireland 



Capt. Clap's Memoirs, 31 

Ireland with Provisions, and Indian Com from Virginia^ 
to supply the Wants of his dear Servants in this Wilder- 
ness, both for Food and Rayment. And when Peoples 
Wants were great, not only in one Town but in divers 
Towns ; such was the godly Wisdom, Care and Prudence 
(not Selfishness but Self-Denial) of our Govemour JVin- 
throp and his Assistants, that when a Ship came laden 
with Provisions, they did Order that the whole Cargo 
should be bought for a general Stock : And so accordingly 
it was, and Distribution was made to every Town, and to 
every Person in each Town, as every Man had need. 
Thus God was pleased to care for his People in Times of 
Straits, and to fill his Servants with Food k. Gladness : 
Then did all the Servants of God bless his holy Name, 
and love one another with pure Hearts fervently. 

Before I proceed any further, I wih inform you that 
God stirred up his poor Servants to use Means in their 
beginning for their Preservation ; though a low and weak 
People, yet a v/illing People to lay out their Estates for 
the Defence of themselves and others. They having 
Friends in divers Places who thought it best for our safety 
to build a Fort upon the Island now called Castle-Island ; 
at first they built a C«5/'/e with ^li^cZ-^Fa/Zs, which stood 
divers Years : First Capt. Simpkins was Commander 
thereof, and after him, Lieut. Monish, for a little space. 
When the Mud- Walls failed, it was built again with Pine 
Trees and Earth : and Capt. Davenport was Commander. 
When that decayed, which was within a little Time, there 
was a small Castle built with Brick Walls, and had three 

Rooms 



32 Captain Clap's Memoirs, 

Rooms in it ; a dwelling Room below, a lodging Room 
over it, the Gun Room over that, wherein stood Six very 
good SaJcer Guns, and over it upon the Top Three lesser 
Guns. All the Time of our Weakness, God was pleased 
to give us Peace, until the Wars with the Dutch in Charles 
the IPs Time. At that Time our Works were very weak, 
and Intelligence came to us that Durother\\ a Dutch Com- 
mander of a Squadron of Ships, was in the West-Indies, 
and did intend to visit us ; whereupon our Battery also 
was repaired, wlierein are Seven good Guns. But in the 
very Time of this Report in July 1665, God was pleased 
to send a grievous Storm of Thunder &i Lightning, which 
did some hurt at Boston, and struck dead here at the 
Castle-Island, that worthy, renowned Captain Richard 
Davenport ; upon which the General Court in Aug. 10th 
following, appointed another^ Captain in the Room of 
him that was slain. But behold God wrought for us ; for 
although Durother intended to come here, yet God by 
contrary Winds kept him out ; so he went to Neivfound- 
land, and did great spoil there. And again wlien Danger 
grew on us by reason of the late Wars with Holland, God 
permitted our Castle at that very Time to be Burnt doum ; 
which was on the 21st Day of March 1672,3 : But still 
God was pleased to keep this Place in Safety : The Lord 
enlarge our Hearts unto Thankfulness. 

I will now return unto what T began to hint unto you 



II Or, DE RUITHER, a fomous Dutch Admiral. 
* It was Capt. CLAP Himself. 

before 



Captain Clap's Memoirs, 33 

before ; namely, that Satan and his instruments did malign 
us, and oppose our Godly Preachers, saying they were 
legal Preachers, but themselves were for free Grace, and 
for the Teachings of the Spirit : And they prevailed so by 
their Flatteries and fair Speeches, that they led aw ay not 
only Silly Women laden ivith their Lusts, but many Men 
also, and some of strong Parts too ; who were not ashamed 
to give out that our Ministers w^ere but legal Preachers, 
and so endeavoured to bring up an evil Report upon our 
faithful Preachers, that they themselves might be in high 
Esteem. And many of them would presume to Preach 
in private Houses, both Men and Women, much like 
the Quakers. They would talk of the Sjjirit, and of 
Revelations by the Spirit without the Word, as the Qua- 
kers do, talk of the Light within them, rejecting the holy 
Scriptures. But God by his Servants assembled in a Sy- 
nod at Cambridge in 1637, did discover his Truth most 
plainly, to the Establishment of his People, and the chang- 
ing of some, and to the recovery of not a few, w hich had 
been drawn away with their Dissimulations. Thus God 
delivered his People out of the Snare of the Devil at that 
Time. Let Us, and do You in your Generations, Bless 
the holy Name of the Lord : the Snare is Irol'en, and we 
and ours are delivered. There were some that not only 
stood out obstinate against the Truth, but continually re- 
viled both our godly Ministers and Magistrates, and greatly 
troubled our Israel: But by Order of the General Court 
they were Banished out of this Jurisdiction. And then 
had the Churches Rest and were multiphed. 

Many 



34 Captain Clap's Memoirs. 

Many Years after this, Satan made another Assault 
upon God's poor People here, by stirring up the Quakers 
to conie amongst us, both ]\Ien & Women ; who pretended 
Holiness and Perfection, saying they spake and acted by 
the Sjjirit ^ Light within, which (as they say) is tlieir 
Guide : And most Blasphemiously said, that the Light 
ivithin is the Christ the Saviour ; and deceived many to 
their Perswasion. But, blessed be God, the Government 
and Churches both, did bear witness against them, and 
their loathsome and pernicious Doctrine ; for which they 
were Banished out of this Jurisdiction, not to return with- 
out Licence, upon pain of Death. The Reason of that 
Law was, because God's People here, could not Worship 
the true and living God, as He hath appointed us in our 
publick Assemblies, without being disturbed by *^ them : 
And other weighty Reasons ; as the Dangerousness of 
their Opinions, ^c. Some of them presumed to Return, 
to the loss of their Lives, for breaking that Law, ^^'hicl 
was made for our Peace and Safety. 

Dear Children, Beware of False Teachers, tho' the; 
come unto you in Sheep's Cloathing as some of the Ana- 
baptists do, yet they will prove many of them (I doubt 
but as ravening Wolves ; their Doctrine being so cormpi 
as appears in their printed Books. One of them says 
" That it is an Article of his Faith, that the Miseries an« 
" Death that came by Adam's Fall, extendeth not unto all 
" Eternity." Another cryeth down all Learning of Sci- 
ences and Tongues to fit Men for the Work of the Minis- 
try. Others of them deny that the Magistrate hath any 

Power 



Captain Clap's Memoirs. 35 

Power to Punish the Breach of the first Table of the Law ; 
although the Scripture be plain, that the Magistrate ought 
to pull down the Groves, and overthrow the Images set up 
for Idolatry, yea though it were the brazen Serpent, and 
call it JSehushtan, 

Now as Satan has been a lying Spirit to deceive and 
ensnare the Mind to draw us from God by Error, so hath 
He stirred up evil Men to seek the hurt of this Country ; 
but God hath delivered his poor People here from Time 
to Time : Sometimes by putting Courage into our Magis- 
trates to punish those that did Rebel ; and sometimes God 
hath wrought for us by his Providence other-ways. Here 
was one Ratdiff spake boldly and wickedly against the 
Government and Governours here, using such words, as 
some judged, deserved Death. He was for his Wicked- 
ness Whipt, and had both his Ears cut off in Boston A.D. 
1631 ; I saw it done. There was one Morton that was a 
pestilent Fellow, a Troubler of the Country, who did not 
only seek our Hurt here, but went to England, and did his 
utmost there, by false Reports against our Governour ; but 
God wrought for us, and saved us, and caused all his De- 
signs to be of none Effect. There arose up against us one 
Bull, who went to the Eastward a Trading, and turned 
Pirate and took a Vessel or two, and plundered some 
Planters thereabouts, and intended to return into the Bay, 
and do Mischief to our Magistrates here in Dorchester and 
other Places : But as they were weighing Anchor, one of 
Mr. Short's Men shot from the shore, and struck the prin- 
cipal Actor dead, and the Rest were filled with Fear and 

Horrour. 



36 Captain Clap's Memoirs. 

HoiTOiir. They having taken one Anthony Dicl's a Mas- 
ter of a Vessel, did endeavour to perswade him to Pilot 
them unto Virginia ; but he would not. They told him 
that they were filled with such Fear and Hon'our, that they 
were afraid of the very Rattling of the Ropes : This Mr. 
DicJcs told me with his own IMouth. These Men fled 
Eastward, and Bull himself got into England ; but God 
destroyed this wretched Man. Thus the Lord saved us 
at this time, from their wicked Device against us. There 
was also one Capt. Stone about the Year 1633 or 1634 
who carried himself very proudly, and spake contemptu- 
ously of our Magistrates, and carried it lewdly in his Con- 
versation. For his Misdemeanour, his Ship was stayed, 
but he fled and would not obey Authority ; and there 
came Warrants to Dorchester to take him dead or alive ; 
so all our Souldiers were in Arms, and Centinels were set 
in divers Places ; and at length he was found in a great 
Com-Field, where we took him and earned him to Bos- 
ton ; but for want of one Witness, when he came to his 
Trial, he escaped with his Life. He was said to be a 
Man of great Relation, and had great Favour in England ; 
and he gave out threatening Speeches. Tho' he escaped 
with his Life, not being hanged for Adultery, there being 
but one Witness ; yet for other Crimes he was fined, and 
payed it : And being dismissed he went towards Virginia ; 
but by the way putting into the Pequot Country to Trade 
with them, the Pequots cut off* both him and his ^len, took 
his Goods and burnt his Ship. Some of the Indians re- 
ported, That they Roasted him alive. Thus did God 
destroy him that so proudly threatened to ruin us by com- 
plaining 



Captain Clap's Memoirs, 37 

plaining against us when he came to England : Thus 
God destroyed him ; and dehvered us at that time also. 



About that time, or not long after, God pennitted Satan 
to stir up the Pequot Indians to kill divers English INIen, 
as ]Mr. Oldham, j\Ir. Tilly and others : And ^\ hen the 
Murtherers were demanded, instead of delivering them, 
they proceeded to destroy more of our English about Con- 
necticut ; which put us upon sending out Souldiers, once 
and again ; whom God prospered in their Enterprizes, 
until the Pequot People were destroy'd. See Mr. Increase 
Alathers Relation of the Troubles ivhich have happened 
in New-England by reason of the Indians, //-ow 1634 to 
1675. I say nothing to you of the late War, but refer 
you to the Histories in Print. Thus was the Lord pleased 
to deliver us at that time also, and to put a Fear and 
Dread of Us into the Hearts of the Indians round about 
us : And many of them did voluntaiily put themselves 
under the Government of the English. 

It also pleased God to put it into the Hearts of some of 
our Worthies, to consider that one End of our coming 
hither was to Preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 
to the Indians, for the saving of God's Elect, and for the 
bringing into Christ's Kingdom those that were as in High- 
ways and Hedges. Some did therefore set themselves to 
learn the Indian Language, and so taught them to know 
GOD and the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they never 
knew or heard of before, nor their Fathers before them ; 
and to know Themselves, namely their Miser}- by Nature 
4 and 



38 Capt. Clap's Memoirs, 

and by reason of Sin. Among others, the principal was 
that Revd. Man of God Mr. John Eliot, Teacher of the 
Church of Christ at Roxhury ; whose great Labour and 
Pains in Catechising, preaching the Word, and translating 
the BIBLE into the Indian Language, God has blessed, I 
doubt not, to the converting of many among them. He 
that Converteth Souls shall shine as the Sun in the Firma- 
ment, Oh how glorious will the shining of that Star be in 
Heaven 1 I rejoice to think of it. 

Furthermore, know ye, that God wrouglit wonderfully 
for our Preservation, when ]\Ien Abroad (and doubtless 
some at Home) endeavoured to overthrow our Government ; 
and prevailed so far, that Commissioners were sent from 
England hither with such Pov\'er and Authority, that 
doubtless put themselves, (and too many among us) in 
Hopes that they had attained their Ends. They proceed- 
ed so far that they set up a Court, appointed the Time 
and Place, and gave out their Summons ; yea for our then 
Honoured Governour & Company, Personally to appear 
before them : But the Lord our God was for us, tho' Trou- 
bles were very near : He stirred up a mighty Spirit of 
Prayer in the Hearts of his People. This jmor Country 
cryed and the Lord heard and delivered them from all 
their Fears. And the Lord put Wisdom and Courage 
into the Hearts of his Servants then sitting in the General 
Court, to give such Answers, and to make such a Declara- 
tion, published by a Man appointed on Horse-back, with 
the Trumpet sounding before the Proclamation to give the 
People notice that something was to be published, which 

was 



Captain Clap's Memoirs, 39 

was clone In three several Places in Boston ; that it put an 
End to their Court, and (through God's Goodness) to our 
Troubles at that time about that matter. And as our 
Court did assert our Privileges granted unto us by Patent, 
and did adhere thereto ; so our God hath hitherto contin- 
ued the same unto us : Blessed be his glorious Name ! I 
humbly beg of God that he will in Mercy continue those 
Privileges unto You and Yours in your Generations, for 
Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. 

I gave you a hint towards the beginning, that I came 
out of Plymouth in Devon, the 20th of March, and anived 
at Nantasket (now Hull) the 30th of May 1630. Now 
this is further to inform you, that there came many Godly 
Families in that Ship : We were of Passengers 77iany in 
Number (besides Sea-men) of good Rank : Two of our 
Magistrates came Avith us, viz. Mr. Rossiter and Mr. Lud- 
low. These godly People resolved to live together ; and 
therefore as they had made choice of those two Revd. 
Servants of God, Mr. John Warham and ^Ir. John Mave- 
rick to be their Ministers, so they kept a solemn Bay of 
Fasting in the Neiv Hospital in Plymouth in England, 
spending it in Preaching and Praying : where that worthy 
Man of God, Mr. John White of Dorchester in Dorset 
was present, and Preached unto us the Word of G.od, in 
the fore-part of the Day ; and in the latter part of the Day, 
as the People did solemnly make Choice of, and call those 
godly Ministers to be their Officers, so also the Revd. Mr. 
Warham and Mr. Maverick did accejjt thereof, and ex- 
pressed the same. So we came, by the good Hand of the 

Lord, 



40 Captain Clap's Memoirs, 

Lord, through the Deeps comfortably ; having Preaching 
or Expounding of the Word of God every Day for Ten 
JVeelcs together, by our Ministers. When we came to 
Nantasket, Capt. Squeb, who was Captain of that great 
Ship of Four Hundred Tons, would not bring us into 
Charles River, as he was bound to do ; but, put us ashore 
and our Goods on Nantasicet Point, and left us to shift 
for our selves in a forlorn Place in this Wilderness. But 
as it pleased God, we got a Boat of some old Planters, 
and laded her with Goods ; and some able Men well Armed 
went in her unto CharJestown : where we found some Wig- 
wams and one House, and in the House there was a Man 
which had a boiled Bass, but no Bread that we see : but 
we did eat of his Bass, and then went up Charles River, 
until the River grew narrow and shallow, and there we 
landed our Goods with much Labour and Toil, the Bank 
being steep. And Night coming on, we were informed 
that there were hard by us Three Hundred Indians : One 
English Man that could speak the Indian Language (an 
old Planter) went to them and advised them not to come 
near us in the Night ; and they hearkened to his Counsel, 
and came not. I my self was one of the Centinels that 
first Night : Our Captain was a Low Country Souldier, 
one Mr. Southcot, a brave Souldier. In the Mornino- some 
of the Indians came and stood at a distance off, looking at 
us, but came not near us : but when they had been a while 
in view, some of them came and held out a great Bass to- 
wards us ; so we sent a Man with a Bisket, and changed 
the Cake for the Bass. Afterwards they supplied us with 

Bass, 



Capt. Clap's Memoirs, 41 

Bass, exchanging a Bass for a Bisket-Cake, and were very 
friendly unto us. 

Oh Dear Children ! Forget not what Care God had 
over his dear Servants, to watch over us, and protect us in 
our weak beginnings. Capt. Squeh turned ashore Us and 
our Goods, hke a mercyless Man ; but God, even our mer^ 
ciful God, took pity on us ; so that v/e were supplied, 
first with a Boat, and then caused many Indians, (some 
Hundreds) to be ruled by the Advice of one Man, not to 
come near us : Alas had they come upon us, how soon 
might they have destroyed us ! I think JVe were not above 
Ten in Number. But God caused the Indians to help us 
with Fish at very cheap Rates. We had not been there 
many Days, (although by our Diligence we had got up a 
kind of Shelter, to save our Goods in) but we had Order to 
come away from that Place, (which was about Waiertowri) 
unto a Place called Mattapan (now Dorchester') because 
there was a Neck of Land tit to keep our Cattle on : So 
we removed and came to Mattapan : The Indians there 
also were kind unto us. 

Not long after, came our renowned ^ blessed Gover- 
nour, and divers of his Assistants with him. Their Ships 
came into Charles River, and many Passengers landed at 
Charlestoivn, many of whom died the Winter following. 
Governour Winthrop purposed to set down his Station 
about Cambridge, or somewhere on the River : but view* 
ing the Place, liked that plain Neck that was called then 
Black-stoneS'Neck, now Boston. But in the mean time, 
4* before 



42 Capt, Clap's Memoirs. 

before they could build at Boston, they lived many of 
them in Tents and Wigwams at Charlestown ; their Meet- 
ing-Place being abroad under a Tree ; where I have heard 
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Phillips Preach many a good Sermon. 

In those Days God did cause his People to tnist in him, 
and to be contented with mean things. It was not ac- 
counted a strange thing in those Days to drink Water, and 
to eat Samp or Homine without Butter or Milk. Indeed 
it would have been a strange thing to see a piece of Roast 
Beef, IMutton or Veal ; though it was not long before there 
was Roast Goat. After the first Winter, we were very 
Heakhy ; though some of us had no great Store of Corn. 
The Indians did sometimes bring Com, and Tmck with 
us for Cloathing and Knives ; and once I had a Peck of 
Corn or thereabouts, for a little Puppy-Dog. Frost-fish, 
Muscles and Clams were a Relief to many. If our Provi- 
sion be better now than it was then, let us not, (and do 
you Dear Children take heed that you do not) forget the 
Lord our God. You have better Food and Raiment, than 
was in former Times ; but have you better Hearts than 
your Fore-fathers had ? If so. Rejoice in that Mercy, 
and let New- England then shout for Joy. Sure all the 
People of God in other parts of the World, that shall hear 
that the Children and Grand-Children of the first Planters 
of New-England, have better Hearts, and are more hea- 
venly than their Predecessors ; they will doubtless greatly 
Rejoice, and w ill say, This is the Generation whom the 
Lord hath Blessed. 



And 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 43 

And now, Dear Children, I know not the Time of my 
Death ; my Time is in God's Hands ; but my Age shows 
me it cannot be far off. Therefore, while I am in Heahh 
and Strength, I tho't good to put into Wiiting and leave 
with you, what I have desired in my Heart, and oftentimes 
expressed to you with my Tongue. I say, I do here 
charge you solenmly, and every one of you, as if I did 
Charge you every one by Name ; Sons, Daughters and 
Grand-children, that now are capable of Understanding, 
and as you shall be capable from time to time ; and Ser- 
vants, or any other whom God hath placed within my 
Gates : I say, I Charge you that every one of you Fear 
the Lord our God, and obey his Commandments ; which 
is the Duty of every Man, and much more Yours, whom 
He hath graciously taken into Covenant with Himself, and 
hath promised to be a God to you in your Generations. 
The Promise made to Abraham and his Seed in their 
Generations, doth extend it self to the Believer and his 
Seed in the Gospel Times : for the Apostle saith. Acts 2. 
39. For the Promise is to You, and to your Children. He 
spake this in Gospel Times, after Christ was gone to Hea- 
ven : and he doth not say. The Promise was, but the Pro- 
mise is, and shall be so hereafter, to those that are afar off 
also, yea to as many as the Lord our God shall call, to the 
end of the World ; the Promise is to them and to their 
Seed. Oh then, if God be your God, you are his People : 
Then see that you Fear him, and stand in a\\e and Sin 
not : See that you do Honour him ; A Son Honoureth his 
Father : See that you Love Him with all your Souls and 
Strength. If you do truly Love God, you will keep all 

his 



44 Captain Clap's Memoirs, 

his Commandments, and you will hate Evil : Ye that Love 
the Lord hate Evil. You cannot Love the Lord, and 
Love Sin too : No Man can serve two contrary Masters. 
If you Love the Lord, you will very often think of Him : 
How do Lovers think of one anotlier, though far absent ? 
but God is not fir absent from a Believer. I Charge you, 
Think often on God : Those that forget God, are wicked 
Men and Women, and shall be turned into Hell. And if 
you truly Love God, you will Love the JVord of God, 
and all his holy Appointments, the Habitation of his Ho- 
liness. And if you Love God dearly, as you ought to do, 
it will grieve your Hearts to see Him dishonoured, and his 
Laws Transgressed : David's Eyes ran down with Tears, 
because INIen transgressed God's Laws. And if you Love 
God, you will delight to have Communion with Him, and 
to pour out your Hearts into his Bosom. Beg of God, 
that He would put his Fear into your Hearts, and that He 
would cause you to Love Him. Intreat Him to Love you 
freely. God must Love Us first, before we can Love Him : 
And I can tell you. The Love of God unto your Souls is 
better than all the World : His loving Kindness is abund- 
antly better than Life. Oh prize it : seek for it more than 
for earthly Treasure : Seek and you shall find : God will 
give his Holy Spirit to those that ask it. If you ask the 
Spirit of God out of a deep Sense of the Want of it ; if 
you ask it in Christ's Name and for his sake ; if you ask 
the Holy Spirit to Sanctify you, and cleanse you from your 
Sins ; if you ask the Spirit to lead you into all Truth, and 
to guide you in all the Ways of God, and to enable you to 
do all that Duty God requires of you ; Doubt not, but 

know 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 46 

know assuredly, God will give his Holy Spirit unto you. 
Oh my Bear Children and Grand Children I for the 
ior^/'^-sake labour for better Hearts, and to live better 
Lives than your poor Parents have done before you I And 
that you may so do, 

I. Study to Know your own Hearts, to liwiv the Plague 
that there is in them. There is a Plague in every Man's 
Heart, the deadly Plague of Sin ; which the Apostle Paul 
by study and diligent search found in himself, which made 
him cry out, Oh wretched Man that I am, who shall de- 
liver me from this Body of Death : And again, In me, that 
is, in my Flesh, dwelleth no good thing. And blessed 
Job also by searching, found it out ; which made him say, 
Behold lam vile : x\nd again, I abhor my self, and repent 
in Dust and Ashes. Surely when Men see the Plague of 
Sin in their Hearts, and the Danger of Death thereby, (for 
the Plague is a deadly Disease) it will make them cry out, 
What shall we do to be saved ? 

H. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Come as the 
Woman of Canaan did for her Daughter, and say as she 
did, Lord, help me. Oh come you to Jesus Christ the 
great Physician for Help ! He can help you, and He is 
willing to help : He said to the Leper, I u'ill : He bids 
you Come to Him ; and again, IJ^oever will, let him come, 
and tale freely. And as He is able and willing, so if you 
come to Him for new Hearts and holy Lives, He will 
certainly bestow the same upon every one of you. Those 
that come to me (saith Christ) I will in no wise cast out. 

And 



46 Capt. Clap's Memoirs, 

And again, If you ask any thing according to his Will, He 
tvill give it. 

III. Labour for true godly Sorrow, and Grief of Heart 
for Sin. If Sin be a Plague, yea a deadly Plague, as in 
Truth it is, (for the Wages of Sin is Death) and Sin be 
in all your Hearts, as indeed it is ; will you not Mourn 
and Lament your wretched State by reason thereof. Yea, 
though you are through Grace enabled to come to Christ 
by Faith for the Pardon of your Sins, for his sake, through 
his Blood ; (as I hope divers of you are) yet what cause 
is there of Sorrow and ^Mourning because of the Remainder 
of Sin dwelling in you : which althougli it cannot Rule 
and bear sway in your gracious Hearts, yet it will make 
War with your Graces, and sometimes catch you at Disad- 
vantage and strike a Dart that may deeply wound you. 
Therefore mourn that you have such an Enemy within 
you. 

IV. Watch over your Hearts, your Hands, your Eyes, 
your Ears and your Tongues. For Sin will assault you 
in every part, by every Sense, and cast in some Infection, 
if possible, to destroy, or at least to wound you, and make 
your Names to stink. Satan, the great Enemy of all 
Mankind, labours by Sin to ruinate both Body and Soul. 

(1.) Watch the Heart. God's Counsel is, that we should 
keep the Heart with all Hiligence. You will find (if you 
will observe) when you are Praying, or Meditating on 
heavenly and spiritual Things, your Heart will be in Dan- 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 47 

ger of being drawn away to think of carnal Things ; or 
grow heavy and duU in the Duty, like Moses his Hands 
when they were lift up against Amalek. Watch there- 
fore ; and when you perceive your Hearts falling down- 
ward and grow heavy, cry unto Jesus Christ to stay up 
your Hearts steady to the end of your Lives ; that so Ama- 
lek (I mean Sin and Satan) may not prevail, but be at 
last utterly destroyed. 

("2.) Watch over your Ears. So Christ commands us, 
that we must Take heed how ice hear. Watch therefore, 
Dear Children, and let not your Ears receive false Doc- 
trine. Hearken to God's Word, Hear that ; that is, receive 
it, believe it, obey it, and your Souls shall live. But as for 
those that bring another Gospel, and serve not the true 
God, such as the Quakers ; do not you hear them, not so 
much as with your outward Ears. 

(3.) Watch over your Eyes. That adulterous Lust 
got in David's Heart through his Eyes. So did AcharCs 
Covetousness, to his utter Ruin : He saw the Wedge of 
Gold with his Eye, then coveted it with his Heart, and 
then took it. 

(•2.) Watch over your Tongues. The Tongue is an 
unruly Evil. Do not backbite or slander your Neighbours. 
Speak not Evil of Dignities. Do not Curse, Sware pro- 
fanely, nor Lie. Let no filthy corrupt Communication 
come out of your Mouths. Do not you, my Dear Child- 
ren, (nor suffer your Children to) speak the sinful Lan- 
guage 



48 Captain Clap's Memoirs. 

guage of many wicked People, who commonly in their 
Discourse add, / Vow, or I Swear, when in Truth they 
do not know what a Voiv or an Oath is. Oh let your 
Words be gracious, always such words as may edify the 
Hearers. Remember, and forget not, that Christ our holy and 
just Judge hath himself told us, that for every idle Word 
that Men do speak, they must give an Account thereof at the 
Day of Judgment. And again, By your Words you shall 
be Justified, and by your Words you shall be condemned. 

V. Another Thing which I Charge you to observe, is. 
To Worship GOD in your Families. Do not neglect 
Family Prayer, Morning and Evening. And be sure to 
Read some part of the Word of God every day in your 
Families, in ordinary Course. And be sure to Instruct 
your Families in the Grounds of Religion. And be your 
selves Patterns, by your holy Lives and Conversations, 
unto your Children. And as you ought to follow and imi- 
tate good Examples in any godly Men or Women, so 
especially in your Parents : you ought to follow them as 
they followed Christ, and in nothing else. Where you 
have seen them missing the Rule, as doubtless you have 
often done : let them be your Warnings, not your Patterns. 
I say where I missed the Rule, in Word or Deed, (for I 
am a weak imperfect Creature, one of the worst of Men) 
be you sure to avoid that Rock, and follow me not in any 
Evil, but avoid it. And if you observed any Virtues in 
your Parents, (though they were but few) Imitate them in 
that which is Good, that God may be with you, as He 
was with your Fathers. 

VL 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 49 

VI. And I lay it as a solemn Charge upon you, That 
you Pray to God in Secret ; and that often too. Our 
Lord and Saviour bids us, Enter into our Closets, and shut 
the Door, and Pray to our Father in Secret. There you 
may tell God your very Hearts, and lay open to Him your 
worst Plague-Sore^ your vilest Sins, which no Man know- 
eth, neither is it meet they should kno^v. Yet all Men 
shall know your vilest, lewdest, most notorious Wicked- 
ness, both of Heart and Life that ever was committed by 
you, tho' never so long ago, or never so secretly done ; 
except you confess them to God, and make your Peace 
with Him, in and through Jesus Christ, by Repentance 
and Faith : Then the Blood of Jesus Christ the Right- 
eous cleanscth us, and will you from all your sins : Other- 
wise God will bring every secret Thing into Judgment. 
I say again. Pray in Secret, though you have not a Closet 
or Door to shut ; you need none : You may Pray alone 
in the Woods, as Christ did in the Mountain : You may 
Pray as you walk in the Field, as Isaac did : When im- 
ployed in Business, you may lift up your Hearts in Prayer, 
as Nehemiah did. And when you are alone at any Time, 
Think with your self, assuredly God is present tho' none 
else ; I will Confess my Sins, and I will beg God's Fa- 
vour and Grace, I will Wresde with God by Faith and 
Prayer. And you may every one of you prevail, if you 
Pray sincerely, and persevere in it : If Importunity pre- 
vailed with the unjust Judge, will it not much more prevail 
with God. 

VII. And I do also Charge you, To live in Love ajid 
5 Peace 



50 Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 

Peace among your selves. Love is of God ; but bitter 
Envy and Strife is of the Devil. Love as Brethren : 
Brethren must love another. Oh ! Hoiv amiable a Thing 
is it, for Brethren to dwell together in Unity ! It is like 
the precious Ointment that ivas poured on Aaron's Head ; 
and that Ointment was such, as none might be made Uke 
it for other Uses. Doth not Love exceed other Graces ? 
Then strive after that which is most excellent. So strive 
to live in Love and Peace with all Men, as much as pos- 
sible in you lies. [Be at Peace luith all Men :] That is, 
if there be any Breach of Peace, let not the Fault be 
yours. You must not partake of, delight in, nor connive 
at, tlie sinful, pernicious, wild Practices of Men, to be at 
Peace with these. Those that are God's Children and 
must dwell in God's Tabernacle, a vile Person must be 
contemned in their Eyes. Sure, Ins Vileness will make 
him loathsome ; yet if it be possible, be at Peace with 
Him : Endeavour to Reclaim him from his Wickedness, 
by Reproving him plainly for sinful Practices ; and if no- 
thing else will do, complain to Authority ; and if that ^^ ill 
not do, complain to God, and mourn for him. 

Finally, Be good Examples unto others. Walk humbly 
with God. Be Holy in all manner of Conversation. Be 
Courteous ; be Sober ; be Charitable ; Ready to Distribute, 
given to Hospitality. Be humble-minded. Set your 
Affections on Things above, not on Things below ; not on 
Riches, Honours and Pleasures. Prize highly the Word 
of God, and the Preachers of it. Labour to draw others 
to Love and Fear God. Flee the Lusts of Uncleanness , 

and 



Capt, Clap's Memoirs, 51 

and the Occasions of it. Abhor Drunkenness, and exces- 
sive Drinking. Come not into a Tavern, but on just and 
weighty Occasions. Choose God to be your Portion : 
Receive Christ by Beheving on Him ; so you shall be the 
Children of GOD. Amen. 



Jili^jililiJiIiAAAJiIia!^ 



frWfFii]if w WvWl^ W'WW f^'VW^ 



^^^^4^^^^^^^.^^^^.;:^.^;t,^^^^^~^^'^^ 



A short 

.4. C C O U N T 



OF THE 



Author and his Family. 

Written hy one that icas acquainted therewith. 



Apt. Roger Cla/p, the worthy Author of the fore- 
going Discourse, was a Man generally known, 
honoured and esteemed by those that were con- 
temporary ^\'ith him ; but most of those are also removed 
by Death, and the present Generation, (among whom he 
hath a numerous Posterity of Grand-Children and Great- 
Grand-Children,) know but little of him : And there being 
no Memoirs preserved of this good Man, and his Posterity 
being likely otherwise to have little or no Knowledge of 
this their Progenitor ; it is thought highly proper, and 
desir'd by some who are no way Related, that a short 
Account might be given of Him and his Family. The 
Memory of the Just is blessed, Prov. 10. 7. 

He was born in Salcom in the County of Devon, on 

the 6th Day of April, Anno Domini 1609, of pious and 

creditable Parents ; whose religious Education God ^^^as 

5* pleased 



[ 54 ] 

pleased to accompany with the early Strivhigs and Con- 
victions of his Holy Spirit, that ended in his happy Con- 
version. In his younger Years, while he was under the 
immediate Government of his Father, he had such a Love 
to the M^ord of God and the most eminent Preachers of 
it ; that he obtained leave of his Father to live in the City 
of Exon, under the Ministry of the Rev. INIr. John War- 
ham, with whom he afterwards came to New-England. 

In the Year 16*29, when many of the most godly 3Iin- 
isters and People w^ere driven out of the Kingdom for 
their conscientious Nonconformity to the Established Way 
of Worship, and Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick, (who 
were afterwards Colleague Pastors of the Church of Dor- 
chester in JSeiv-England) and with them a considerable 
Number of pious Persons were preparing for a Remove 
into this Country ; IMr. Clap found in himself a strong 
Inclination to go with those good People, and cast in his 
Lot with them. He had taken a great liking unto the 
Ministry of the Rev. Mr. Warham, and was not willing 
to be left behind, when He was to go ; and therefore hav- 
ing wdth some Difficulty obtained his Father's Consent, he 
set himself to assist in the great and good Work the Peo- 
ple of God then had in hand. He with those good 

People that came over wdth him, (who were the first In- 
habitants of Dorchester) set sail from Plymouth in Eng- 
land the 20th Day oi March 1629,30 ; and after a com- 
fortable (tho' long) Passage of Ten Weeks, they arrived 
at Hidl the 30th of May 1630. This was the First 
Company that settled on this side Salem : and therefore 
besure they met with Trials and Difficulties enough, w hich 
did not at all dishearten Mr. Clap ; for his Heart w^as so 
taken off from temporal Things, and set upon serving and 
glorifying God, and finding here such Advantages and 
Opportunities therefor, beyond what he had in England, 
that he could not forbear crying out in a sort of Extasy 
of Joy, Blessed be God that brought me here ! 

In 



[ 55 ] 

In the same Year that He came over here, He joined 
himself a Member of the Chm'ch in Dorchester, where he 
hved, and continued a Member of this Church for the 
space of Sixty Years ; being a useful Instrument both in 
Church and Town. When he had been about Ttt'o Years 
and haJf'm the Country, in the Year 1633, ISlovemh. 6th 
in the 25th Year of his Age, he married the vertuous Mrs. 
Johanna Ford, Daughter of Mr. Thomas Ford of Dor- 
chester in England, when she was but in the 17th Year 
of her Age : who wdth her Parents came over in the same 
Ship with himself, and settled also here in Dorchester ; 
with whom he lived in the Conjugal Relation for the space 
of 57 Years. She was a godly and exemplary Woman, 
given to Hospitality : She abounded in Acts of Charity ; 
so that wdien proper Objects of Pity and Charity came to 
her Knowledge, she never failed to relieve them herself, 
or procure them Relief from others : Thus the Blessing of 
those that ivere ready to Perish came upon her. 

Among the Blessings wherewith it pleased God to Bless 
this pious Couple, the Blessings of the Breasts and of the 
Womb were not the least ; for they had Fourteen Child- 
ren, Ten Sons and Four Daughters. But God was 
pleased to prove these his Servants with Afflictions also, 
as w ell as Mercies ; for Five of their Children Died in 
their Infancy; their Son Thomas died at 15 Years of Age, 
and their Son Unite at 7 Years. And in the Year 1686, 
their Son Supply, a hopefull young Man in the Flower 
and Prime of his Age, was suddenly taken out of the 
World, by the Accidental Firing a Gun at the Castle ; 
\\ here his Father was then the Captain, and himself an 
Officer, in the 23d Year of his Age. The rest of their 
Children, being Four Sons and Two Daughters, lived to 
fulfill the ordinary Course of Nature, and w^ere great Bless- 
ings in their Generations. 

Mr. Clap being thus settled as he himself expresseth it, 

in 



[ 56 ] 

in God's House and among his People, he set himself to 
serve God and his Generation according to the Will of 
God. His Qualifications were quickly observed by the 
People of Dorchester ; and they early Improved him in 
the Affairs of their new Plantation. He sustained both 
Civil and Military Offices in the Toivn ; being Captain of 
the Militia, Representative for the Town, and Authorized 
to Join Persons in Marriage. And on the 10th of Au- 
gust 1665, the General Court appointed him Captain of 
the Castle (the principal Fortress in the Province) upon 
the Death of Capt. Davenport, who was kill'd with Light- 
ning the Month before. 

Capt. Clap having now the Command of the Castle, 
discharged that Trust with great Fidelity ; and was there- 
in serviceable to the whole Province, and universally Re- 
spected and Honoured. He continued in that Command 
for the space of 21 Years, even until the Year 1686 ; 
when by the Loss of our Charter there was a Change of 
Government, and some things were required of Him that 
were grievous to his pious Soul ; and foreseeing a Storm of 
Troubles coming on the Country, and he now in his old 
Age, voluntarily resigned his Command. 

There is another Instance that shows what an Interest 
Capt. Clap had in the Hearts of God's People, and what 
an extensive Blessing they accounted him : it is this ; In 
the Year 1672, he being then Captain of the Castle, it 
pleased God to visit him with a Fit of Sickness ; and the 
good People of Dorchester, unto which Church he be- 
longed, kept a Day of Fasting and Prayer, to beg his Life 
of God : And God was pleased to hear and answer their 
Prayers ; and when he was restored to Health, they kept 
a Day of Thanksgiving. 

When he commanded the Castle, he resided there with 
his Family ; and a well-ordered Family it was : Capt. 

Clap 



[ 57 ] 

Clap and his Wife were Examples of Piety : their Light 
shone before others, to the Glory of their heavenly Father. 
He was a very Prayerful Man, and w as observed to re- 
tire often for Secret Duties : And in his Family (unto 
which all the Souldiers under his Command also belon^^ed) 
he daily offered up the Sacrifices of Prayer and Thanks- 
giving ; in which, if he understood his Prolixity were disa- 
greeable to any, he would be Troubled thereat. He \^ith 
his Family were constant Hearers of the word preached ; 
going (I think) commonly to Dorchester Meeting, when 
the Weather permitted, and sometimes to Boston. He 
bear a universal Love and Respect to Godly Ministers, 
honouring them for their Works sake : and also he bare an 
endeared Love to all the People of God ; so that the very 
Indians whom he thought to be Fearers of God were a\ el- 
come to him, and he would instruct them in the Principles 
of Religion. He constantly attended the Lectures in the 
Towns of Dorchester and Boston : particularly the Lec- 
ture at Boston ; concerning which, if any of the Souldiers 
or young People asked, JVhose Lecture it was 1 intimating 
thereby (as Capt. Clap very well knew) that they thought 
some were not so excellent preachei^ as others, and so had 
less Inclination to hear them ; He would answer. Let the 
Preacher he ivho he luiJl, if he Preach the Word of God / 
will go and hear him. His Eyes u-ere upon the Faithful 
of tile Land, that they might dwell with him : He chose 
those to serve him that watked in a perfect way ; and He 
would entertain none in his Service, but those that He 
could reduce to good Orders. He would often recom- 
mend to his young People the Example of his pious Gun- 
ner, IMr. Baxter, when he was absent, saying, The Walls 
of the Castle ivould testify how many Prayers that good 
Man made to God in Secret. In his time it might be seen, 
that Beligious and well disposed JMen might take upon 
them the calling of a Souldier, without danger of hurting 
their Morals or their good Name, or lessning their xVdvan- 
tacres and Opportunities for the Services of Religion. He 
■^ had 



[ 5S ] 

had a great Aversion to Ilhness, would \\^am his Family 
against it, and made Conscience of imploying himself and 
all about him in some lawful Business. He was a hearty 
Lover of his Country, a well wisher to it, one that 
Prayed often for it, being chiefly concerned that pure & 
undefiled Religion might flourish here : and was a good 
Instrument in his Place and Station to promote and en- 
courage that which was Good, and to discountenance Eisil, 
and keep out Error and Heresy. 

He was a meek & humble Man, of a very quiet and 
peaceable Spirit, not apt to resent Injuries ; but where he 
thought the Honour of God was concerned, or just and 
lawful Authority opposed, he was forward enough to ex- 
ert himself. His Farts as well as his Piety, and his 
Knowledge of the Word of God and the true Christian 
Religion, may be seen in the foregoing Discourse ; which 
is only the Substance of those verbal Counsels, Warnings 
and Exhortations which he frequently Inculcated on his 
Children, committed to Writing : Which Discourse is 
doubdess worthy any serious Plan's Perusal, and especially 
those of his Posterity. 

As to his natural Temper, it is said, He was of a chear- 
ful &t pleasant Disposition, courteous and kind in his Be- 
haviour, free and familiar in his Conversation, yet attended 
with a proper Reservedness ; &i he had a Gravity & Pre- 
sence that commanded Respect from others. 

When he left the Castle, which was in the Year 1686, 
he removed to the South End of Boston, and Associated 
with the South Church there ; where he lived about Four 
Years, and after about a Fortnight's Sickness, in which he 
often repeated Words to this purpose, || The Lord Reigns ; 



II I suppose ia the joyful Contemplation of the late wonderful RE- 
VOLUTION. ■ ' 

blessed 



[ 59 J 

hhssed he the Name of the Lord; The Lord sitteth upon 
the Flood ; yea the Lord sitteth King forever ; Blessed be 
his holy Name: He there departed this Life, Feb 2 
1690 M, in the 82d Year of his Age. He ^^ as huried in 
the old Burying Place in Boston ; the IVIilitary Officei-s 
going before the Corps ; and next to the Relations, the 
Governour and the whole General Court following after ; 
and the Guns firing at the Castle at the same time. 

Mrs. Clap, who was bom June 8th 1617, lived his 
JVidoiv between 4 &l 5 Years, and died at Boston in June 
1695, being about 78 Years old, and was Interred by her 
Husband. 



Capt. Clap (as w^as said before) had six Children that 
lived to old Age, and were Blessings in their Generation. 
Their Names and the Order of their Birth is as follows, 
Samuel, Elizabeth, Preserved, Hopestill, Wait, and 
Desire. 

1. Mr. Samuel Clap was born the 11th Day of Ociob. 
1634, when his Mother was but in the 18th Year of her 
Age. He was a wise and prudent Man, partaking of the 
choice Spirit of his Father, treading in his Steps, and 
makino; good his Ground : He was eminent for Religion, 
and of a blameless and unspotted Conversation. He was 
early and constantly imployed in Publick Affairs : He 
was Captain of the Military Company, Bepresentative for 
the Tow^n ; and the seven last Years of his Life a Buling 
Elder of the Church of Dorchester where he lived. He 
Married Mrs. Hannah Leeds, Daughter of Mr. Bichard 
Leeds of Dorchester. They had Two Sons k. Two 
Daughters that lived to be grown up. He Died about 
Eight Days after his Wife, on Oct. 16th 1708, being 
about 74 Years old. His eldest Son Samuel deceased in 
his middle Age, a very pious useful IMan also. He was 
chosen one of the Deacons of the Church in Dorchester, 

where 



[ 60 ] 

where he Uved, and was Lieutenant of a Military Com- 
pany in the Town. His other Son died a hopeful young 
Man. 

2. Mrs. Elizabeth Clap was Born June 22d 1638. 
She married IVIr. Joseph Holmes. She was a vertuous 
and prudent Woman. They had Five Children that lived 
to be grown up. She Died at Boston, Dec. 25th 1711, 
in the 74th Year of her Age ; and was buried by her 
Parents. 

3. Mr. Preserved Clap was Born Nov. 23d 1643. He 
was a good Instrument and a great Blessing to the Town 
of Northampton where he lived. He was Captain of the 
Town, and their Representative in the General Court, and 
Ruling Elder in the Church. He married Mrs. Sarah 
Newhery of Windsor. They had Seven Children that 
Lived to be grown up. He died at Northampton, Sept. 
20th 1720, Aged about 77 Years. 

4. Mr. Hopestill Clap was Born Nov. 6. 1647. He 
was a very gracious Man, endowed with a great measure 
of Meekness and Patience ; studied & practiced those 
Things that make for Peace. He was first a Deacon of 
the Church of Dorchester, wdiere he lived ; and afterwards 
in the Year 1709 he was Chosen and Ordained a Ruling 
Elder in the same Church : He Represented the Town 
in the General Court for the space of Fifteen Years. He 
was much honoured &: respected by those that had a value 
for vital Piety. He married Mrs. Susatina Swift. They 
had Two Sons and Four Daughters that lived to be 
grown up. One of his Sons died a Younii: Man, the other 
is now living in Dorchester. Elder Hopestill Clap died 
at Dorchester, Sept. 2d 1719, in tlie 72d Year of his 
Age. 

Upon his Grave-Stone is written by his Pastor as follows. 

His 



[ 61 ] 

His Dust waits till the Jubillee : 
Shall then shine brighter than the Sky ; 
Shall meet and joyn to part no more, 
His Soul that's glorifyed before. 
Pastors and Churches happy be 
With Ruling Elders such as he : 
Present Useful, absent Wanted ; 
Liv'd Desired, died Lamented, 

5. Mrs. Wait Clap was bom March ITtli 1649. She 
was a godly Woman, following the good Example of her 
Parents. She often spake of that Charge which her Fa- 
ther left his Children, viz. I^'ever to spend any Time in 
Idleness ; and practised accordingly in a veiy observable 
manner. She married Mr. Jonathan Simpson of Charles- 
town. They had but Two Children, one Son and one 
Daughter, that lived to be grown up. She lived a Widow 
about Twelve Years, and died at Boston, in the House 
that her Father U Mother lived U died in. May 3. 1717, 
in the 69th year of her Age, and was buryed near her 
Parents. 

6. Mr. Desire Clap was Bom Octoh. 17th 1652. He 
lived in Dorchester, was a sober, religious Man. He mar- 
ried Mrs. Sarah Pond : They had Four Children that 
lived to be grown up, one Son and three Daughtei'S. In 
his old Age he buried his first Wife, and married again to 
Mrs. Deborah Smith of Boston, with whom he went to 
live; and there he died in December 1717, in die 66th 
Year of his Age, and was inteiTed near his Relations. 

Thus God was pleased to Bless this Pious Family, and 
make them Blessings in their Day &i Generation. They 
have all of them finished their Pilgrimage in this World, 
and are gathered to their Fathers, and entred into the Rest 
that remains for the People of God : leaving behind them 
their good Names, and their bright Examples of Piety and 
6 Tlrtue. 



[ 69 ] 

Virtue. Divers also of the Grand-Children are removed 
by Death. 

May the Blessings of these Godly Ancestors rest upon 
their Posterity, even unto the latest Generations : And 
may their Posterity put themselves in the way to Inherit 
those Blessings, by continuing stedfast in the Covenant of 
their God, under which their Ancestors have brought 
them ; and by walking in, and cleaving to, the good ways 
of their fore Fathers, treading in their Steps and making 
good their Ground. 

Capt. Clap had one Brother, and two Sisters, with their 
Husbands, that upon his Advice and Encouragement, 
afterwards came over and settled themselves here in Dor- 
chester, His Brother Edward Clap was a godly Man, a 
Deacon of the Church of Dorchester, as two of his Grand- 
sons have been since. His Sisters were the Wives of Mr. 
George Weeks and Mr. Nicholas Clap, religious Families. 
Deut. 7. 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He 
is God, the Faithful God, ivhich Iceepeih Covenant and 
Mercy with them that love him, and keep his Command- 
ments, to a Thousand Generations. 



James Blake, jtm. 



NOTE. 

It will doubtless be interesting to the descendants of 
Roger Clap, to know that the grave-stone which has 
marked his resting-place for one hundred and fifty years 
is still erect and in good preservation. Most of these de- 
scendants, as has been mentioned in the Preface, reside at 
some distance from Boston, and the location of his grave 
has probably been unknown to them ; and as some of them 
will read these pages who may never have an opportunity 
of visiting the spot in person, it is thought that it would be 
gratifying to them, and perhaps to others, to see a copy 
of the inscription on the grave-stone. It is therefore print- 
ed on the following page, and, as in the preceding pages, 
an imitation of the original has been attempted. The stone 
is in the burying ground attached to the Stone Chapel, in 
Boston, and is situated on a line with the eastern wall of 
the Chapel, and about fifty feet from the Vestry Room. 
There is no stone over the grave of his widow, nor over 
those of his children whom Mr. Blake says were buried 
near him. 

It may also be mentioned, that the name on the outside 
cover of this book is a fac simile of the signature of Capt. 
Clap, from the Town Records of Dorchester, under date 
of the "seventh day of the twelfth month," in the year 
1641. 

December, 1843. 






INSCRIPTION ON HIS GRAVE-STONE. 



HERE LYETH BURIED 
Y BODY OF CAP7 

ROGER CLAP 
AGED 8 2 YEARS 
DECEASED Y 2, OF 



FEBRUARY 1690 
1 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





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